Two Hearts Align
by mauigurl808
Summary: After centuries, the Shikon no Tama has surfaced in the body of a child. Kagome, the Shikon no Miko, meets the half-demon, Inuyasha, at the Goshinboku where everything changes. But a great evil is looming, seeking the jewel's power. One fateful day, the jewel is shattered and the miko and hanyou must work together to collect all the fragments, whether they trust each other or not.


**Author's Note- **I just want to say... Boy it's good to be back! Hey everyone, I'm so glad to be back into the writing mode again. I feel like I haven't done this in ages, which is true. But anyways. So I'm back with another story. This time, I kinda wanted to go back in the past instead of having a modern day Inuyasha-fanfiction I wanted to test the waters on an ancient day fanfiction. Plus, these characters have been talking to me for while since I graduated in December of last year from college. So now I'm able to get back into my hobby instead of writing scientific papers. Anyways, I know most of you have been waiting for a while, and I am sorry for ending my last story without a "complete" ending, but they just weren't calling to me anymore.

So... I hope you like this new story I have in store.

**Disclaimer-** I do not own Inuyasha :)

* * *

**Chapter 1- It's Only the Beginning**

The child woke startled as the sound of something crashing woke her from her slumber. The little girl's eyes were wide open as she took in her surroundings, eyes frightened in the glowing light. The hut was on fire, the walls around her engulfed in licking flames trying to get closer to her. She quickly got to her feet, looking around.

"Okaa! Otou!" She yelled out but her parents were nowhere in the hut. Fear started to kick in as she realized that she was alone and her home was burning around her. She didn't know what to do. _'Okaa…'_ she thought, frightened. She coughed, inhaling the thick grey smoke. She covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes squinting to try and find the door. The smoke was getting heavier now the longer it took her to find her way out, but she knew that she had to get out. Where was the door?

'_There!'_ The child made her way to the door as the sound of breaking wood only urged her to move quicker. There was a crack and then the sound of wood breaking. She looked around and noticed the burning wood falling close to her. She moved out of the way just in time, but the ember ashes formed a cloud up into the air. Some of the ashes reached the girl, enveloping her in an ash cloud, and she quickly dusted off the ember ashes as some of them had burned holes in her dark green kimono.

"Kagome!" A figure suddenly appeared through the burning doorway and the child's eyes settled on her mother.

"Okaa!" She ran to her mother, avoiding the fallen wood still on fire, and crashed into her mother's arms.

"Kagome," Hitomi said, resting her cheek on top of her daughter's head. She was safe. Hitomi had been so worried that something had happened, that something…

The sound of another wood crashing to the floor was enough to wake Hitomi out of her relief and adrenaline kicked in. She scooped her daughter off the ground, crushed her against her chest, and ran back out through the flaming doorway. Both of them closed their eyes as they cleared the flames and was out in the cool night air. The stars above them did nothing to ease their fears.

Hitomi settled Kagome on her feet and held her by the shoulders, her eyes quickly going over Kagome's body to check for any injuries. Though all Hitomi could see were small, black holes in her daughter's kimono, she was grateful for no signs of any open wounds or burns.

"Are you okay, Kagome?"

Kagome nodded, her brown eyes looking over her mother's body at the same time. "Yes. Where's Otou?"

Hitomi looked behind Kagome and saw her husband making his way towards them. "Right here."

Kagome turned around and noticed her father running to them. Both he and her mother were dressed in their demon slayer attire and she knew that something bad was happening. Demons were attacking the village. And her parents were one of their village's expert demon slayers. Hitomi was dressed in her dark blue kimono with her demon bone chest piece around her torso. Her choice of weapon at her hip, the katana, remained at her left while her wakizashi remained at her right. Kagome took in her father's figure as he closed in on them. He was wearing his black hakama and haori while his white hanjuban beneath his haori was stained with blood. She smiled, relieved to see her father, as he scooped her up into his arms.

"Kagome…" Masaru said with huge relief. He hugged her, feeling her small arms wrap around his neck. "Are you okay?" he asked, moving back so that he could get a good look at her.

"Yes, Otou."

Masaru looked down at Hitomi as she rose to her feet with a reassuring nod and smile. He looked back at Kagome and smiled. He and Hitomi had been so worried that something had happened to Kagome. All around them, huts were going up in flames and they had been afraid that the same fate and befallen their home. As it has, to see Kagome out and alive was such a blessing.

Masaru placed Kagome back on the ground just as the sound of running footsteps came up behind him.

"Masaru! Hitomi!" The two both turned to see Hachiro, one of their pupils, making his way towards them. He was dressed in the same way that her father was, but he had a demon bone chest piece covering his right shoulder down to his waist. Though the boy was only 11, he had marvelous skills in fighting and battle strategy. Hachiro was a gift that Kagome's parents were grateful for in that he also became a great friend to their daughter.

"Senseis, the demons are getting closer to the shrine."

Masaru turned to Hitomi and saw the same determination in his wife's face. "Let's go," he said. Hitomi nodded and reached out for Kagome's hand.

"Come on, Kagome." Kagome grabbed her mother's hand and they were off, running towards the shrine. Kagome ran as fast as she could to keep up with her parents' pace as she also tried to look around at their village. All the huts were in flames and there were screams everywhere. She could hear women screaming and men yelling in pain. The sound of crackling wood from the engulfing flames was also loud in Kagome's ears as she couldn't believe what she was witnessing around her. Her village, her home was burning to the ground.

The shrilling squeal of a demon brought Kagome out of her thoughts as she looked ahead. A group of demons with huge purple eyes and grotesque teeth ran towards them. The demons had the body of a human but instead of skin it was pale white and looked like a tight sheet, like shiny scales that made their body hard to kill.

Hitomi gripped Kagome's hand tighter, catching her attention as she looked up at her mother. Hitomi's free hand went to the hilt of her katana just as Masaru ran ahead of his family, wielding his two tantō and twisting them in his hands. They were her father's choice of weapons and he specialized in them. The White Dragons, made by one of the best sword smiths in all of Japan, that were customized to her father's requirements in that the blades were straight and double-edged. He was famous for his ability to cut demons from the front and back with fine fluidity.

The demons screamed, running towards Masaru as he held his blades down at his sides, waiting for the right time. Just as the first demon got close enough, Masaru dodged its claws and stabbed it right in the gut. He quickly leaped into the air, his blade still in the demon, doing a somersault above its head and coming down on another demon, slicing its head right off from the back. Kagome watched in awe as her father moved through the demon pack so gracefully. She could see the glint of her father's blades as Masaru blocked the demon's claws with one blade and attacked with another. It was amazing to see how adapted to the two blades her father was, he danced with them. Masaru got to his knees to dodge another attack and sliced up on both sides of him to kill two demons next to him. Then he stabbed one sneaking up behind him while jumping into the air to avoid another strike from the front. He moved ahead to finish the last two, both demons a little shocked that a man had killed all nine of them so easily. The two demons fell with their heads cut off.

"Let's go!" Masaru called to them as he placed his weapons back in their sheaths and ran alongside his family when they caught up to him, continuing towards the shrine. Kagome's eyes could only look in disbelief at the demon corpses and blood as they passed by.

As they ran up the shrine stairs and through the shrine grounds, demons were attacking villagers everywhere. Hitomi and Masaru could do nothing for them as their first priority was to get Kagome to safety and protect their treasure.

"Don't look, Kagome!" Hitomi called out as she noticed a woman being eaten alive by a demon. The scene was horrific and Hitomi felt a pang in her heart for the woman, but she had to get her daughter to safety before she could help anyone. Kagome simply looked ahead, heeding her mother's words. She knew better than to go against anything her parents said.

The shrine came up and the group slowed their pace as a group of villagers remained huddled near the shrine steps. The four of them stopped as a woman stepped forward from the group, her red and white miko robes calling attention to her status from the rest of the group of men.

"Kaede," Masaru greeted, catching his breath as Hitomi and Kagome came up behind him. Hachiro was to his right, the young lad trying to learn as much as he could and Masaru only respected the boy for his determination and will.

Kaede stepped forward, her eyes moving to each of them to see if anyone was injured. "You all are unhurt?"

Hitomi nodded, bringing Kagome against her leg, feeling the girl cling around her leg. "Kagome's fine."

"I killed a group of demons on the way here," Masaru informed.

Kaede nodded. "Aye. I fear that there will be many more. This dread I feel, it is as if there are over a hundred demons coming this way."

Masaru and Hitomi were stunned. Never had that many demons attacked their village at once. Something was up. Something or someone must be behind this attack in order for such a huge amount of demons to work together to gain power.

"You must leave," Masaru said. He looked at the group of men behind Kaede and nudged his head towards them. "We'll stay and protect the village. But you must take the women and children and leave the village."

Kaede knew what Masaru was saying. Their village was gone. It was obvious by the burning huts and all the screaming villagers that were injured or dying. They had lost their village this night. But still, the fight was not over. The demons would not win. Kaede knew what Masaru was asking. He wanted her to take care of their daughter, to take Kagome and never come back for it was apparent in Masaru's eyes and in the clench of his jaw that this would be the last time he would see his daughter.

"Hai." Kaede looked down at Kagome and smiled. "Come on, child. We must leave."

Kagome's frightened eyes gaze up at her and she shook her head, gripping her mother's leg even tighter. Hitomi touched Kagome's shoulder and went to her knee, getting to her daughter's height so that she could gaze into Kagome's chocolate eyes one last time. "Kagome, sweetheart." Hitomi was able to pry the girl's hands from her leg so that she held it to the girl's sides. Her heart pained at the sad expression on her daughter's face. "You have to go with Kaede." Kagome shook her head. "Your father and I are going to stay behind until all the demons are gone so that you can come back. We need to make sure that this place is safe before everyone can come back."

"No." Kagome began to tear. She knew something was wrong. She could feel it. Through all her training, she could feel that something was wrong and that this was no ordinary attack. Kagome could sense in her parents' auras as well that they were sad. She knew that something was wrong, something they weren't saying.

Hitomi steeled herself. "You must, Kagome. We've talked about this. You must do what you were born to do. It is your right." Hitomi caught her daughter's eyes. "It is your duty."

Kagome frowned, her bottom lip trembling. After a few seconds, she nodded slowly. She knew what her mother was saying, but she was not ready to say goodbye. But the pressuring demonic aura all around them was making it hard to feel safe or possible to let her guard down and cry like a child would cry. Though she was only five, Kagome was not an ordinary child like all the other kids in the village. She was what her mother said, and she had to listen to her mother. She always listened to her mother and valued her parents' demands.

Hitomi nodded, willing herself not to cry, and kissed Kagome on the forehead. She stood, her eyes catching her husband's, and she could have cried right there. Masaru saw Hitomi's need to breakdown but he was glad that she didn't. Hitomi was not like that, as he knew, and he cherished her like no other. He moved to kiss Kagome on the forehead as well. Kagome gulped as her parents stood side by side. They always kissed her on the forehead like this. Whenever their village came under attack, they were the demon slayers that would rid the demons. Before they went on a demon hunt or to kill attacking demons, they would kiss her just like this. A reassurance. Not a goodbye. They always came back and then they would go about their day as if nothing happened. But this time, this time Kagome knew it was different. This time felt different.

The sound of hooves got closer and some of the men cleared a path for the three horses that were saddled and ready for its riders. Kaede moved towards one of the horses just as a dear friend of hers helped her onto the horse. He then made sure that she was in before he got onto his own horse.

"Take Hachiro with you," Masaru said, just as another man was about to grab the reins of the last horse.

Kaede looked down at the young boy and saw the shocked expression on his face. She nodded, knowing of the boy's skills in combat. He was Masaru's pupil and Masaru trained the boy well. She knew of his great abilities and she knew that he would be able to also keep Kagome company should something happen this night.

Hachiro looked at Masaru, moving up to him. "But… Sensei…"

Masaru looked at the boy and shook his head. "Now is not the time, Hachiro. You will go with Kaede. You will keep her safe. And you will protect my daughter. This… I ask of you." He placed his hand on Hachiro's shoulder and looked the boy dead in the eye. "This is my last request," he whispered, not wanting Kagome to hear.

Hachiro's eyes widened at the realization that Masaru knew this were no ordinary demonic attack. Hachiro gulped and pressed his lips together, taking a deep breath. "Of course." He would spend the rest of his days fulfilling his sensei's last wish for Masaru and Hitomi had both taught him well. His family once respected them and Hachiro had more love and affection for Masaru and Hitomi than he did for his own. "I give you my word, Sensei, that I will always protect her."

Masaru nodded his head, a look of gratitude in his eyes, as he took his hand off Hachiro's shoulder. The boy moved towards the horse and grabbed the reins that were offered to him. He got up into the saddle and got comfortable.

Kagome only looked up at her parents, tears streaming down her cheeks as she knew she was running out of time with them. Hitomi reached down, lifted Kagome into her arms, and handed her off to Kaede onto the horse. Kaede settled Kagome in front of her, tucking the girl into her chest so that she could keep the child as concealed as possible. But Kagome only had eyes and arms for her mother. She reached out her hands, grasping at the empty air as Hitomi moved back to Masaru's side.

"Okaa!"

Hitomi smiled reassuringly. "Everything will be okay, Kagome."

Masaru smiled and nodded reassuringly as well. "Be safe, Kagome."

Kaede grabbed the reins, tightening her fingers around them, and took one last look at the couple. Hitomi and Masaru intertwined their fingers, standing together as a solid wall against all enemies. She was grateful to them, always grateful to them for being their village's protectors and going out into danger when no one else wanted to. They were born from demon slayer families and that's all they ever knew growing up. Fate brought them together and they had been together for years, starting their own family in this village and protecting this village with their lives. This would be the night that would prove their life's values. They would stay behind to protect this village as best they could and rid the demons that dared threaten all they knew as their home and family. And they would die trying. Kaede sent a prayer to Kami-sama and nodded her head just as Hitomi and Masaru smiled at her in thanks.

"Yah!" Kaede yelled, whipping the reins and startling the horse as it reared up. Kagome hung onto the horse's mane tightly as the front hooves touched solid ground, and the last she saw was a tear slide down her mother's cheek as her free hand went up against her heart, and her father's sad smile. The horse took off full speed, running along the land churning up dust in its wake. The two other horses followed behind Kaede as the three horses sped out of the village. The flaming huts around them lightened their figures, causing a surreal glow about them. Demons were devouring villagers and ripping through huts, searching for humans to kill. Kagome only looked around in fear and pain. _'Okaa… Otou…'_ She couldn't get their faces out of her head and her mother's tear. She worried for them.

Just ahead, Kaede noticed a few demons at the entrance of the wooden bridge that would lead them out of the village. The demons blocked their escape and Kaede would have to kill them. She made sure that the reins were secure around the horn of the saddle, and then she sat up to get height over Kagome and the horse's head. With the horse running at full speed and trying to keep Kagome safe against her, it was a little difficult to get to her weapon, but she grabbed her bow from her back and plucked an arrow out of the quiver. Readying her arrow, Kaede pulled back and fed her miko powers into the arrow. Then she released, a light bluish light engulfing the arrow as it sped towards the demons in their path. The demons screamed as they realized it was a purifying arrow, and their bodies simply turned to ash as it crumbled to the ground. Kaede placed her bow back against her back and then took the reins, slouching down to allow the horse to gain speed.

The three riders took off, speeding over the bridge and hitting the grass land as the horses sped through the flat land into the trees. The sounds of demons were all that remained behind them as they made their way into the tree line.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-

The ground was blurry beneath the horses' feet as the three raced through the trees. The cool night air blasted against the riders' skin, making them feel numb to the cold and to the events that had just played out. They were racing away from danger and yet they were racing away from their home, their family and all that they knew. But all that they knew was gone. The village had burned to the ground. The hoard of demons that swept through was like an unstoppable plague. There were just too many for them to destroy, and in the end they had lost their homes.

The horses' feet pounded into the ground, making the earth tremble and waking up all the forest creatures in their wake. The stars and moon overhead could not penetrate through the thick branches and leaves of the trees that swallowed them. The darkness was impenetrable, and even though the riders could barely see a few feet in front of them, the horses could see what the humans could not. They were quick and light on their feet, racing from danger that they could sense only to go into the unknown where they were apprehensive.

Kaede's eyes darted around her as she continued to scan the area around them for any potential threats. Though she could feel small demonic auras around her, it wasn't threatening enough for her to worry about their safety. She could only see maybe 10 feet in front of her, but it seemed like the horses knew where they were going with every sure step. All Kaede knew was that they were headed in the right direction. It was known in the village that if there should ever be an attack on the village that required everyone to leave for safety, the village had planned an escape route. There was a neighboring village just five or six miles from theirs. This village had become a close friend as they would trade goods and visit on occasions. It was that village that they needed to get to and seek help. There they would wait out this night and in the coming morning they would go back to their village and search through the carnage for any survivors.

The darkness around them began to give way to light as the trees became less dense and the moon above could shine its light. The trees began to give way little by little until suddenly they were out in a clearing. Flat land gave way into a village just up ahead with its own disguise of trees to cover most of the huts. The horses raced towards the village, their loud breaths showing their weariness from the long run.

Soon, the village was near their grasp and the horses slowed into a trot as the riders surveyed the area. Some of their people were walking towards the village. It seemed like many of their people survived, more than 20 that was for sure. But Kaede wondered how many more were waiting within the village. Kaede nodded her head as many of the people looked up at her, recognizing her with relief in their fright-stricken faces. Children clung to the arms of their mothers while young boys held sticks in their hands should the need come that they would have to protect their family. Most of the able-bodied men stayed behind to kill the demons, allowing the young boys, women, children and the elderly to flee to the neighboring village.

Kagome looked down at the people as they passed, looking over Kaede's arm as she met the gazes of those they passed by. She recognized some of them, some of the children that she played with. They all looked scared. Many of the people had blood or dirt on their clothes or body. Some people were injured and one woman Kagome saw had a serious cut on her head where blood dripped down the whole right side of the woman's face, her teenage son helped her walk. Kagome frowned, saddened.

"Look," Kaede said, pointing ahead. The riders all looked ahead of them as the road came up to the village entrance. There was a group of people, many people huddled in separate groups, all being tended to by the villagers. Kaede noticed Yoshi, the village elder, standing at one of the groups looking over the shoulder of a woman tending to the wounds of an old man.

"Yoshi-sama," Kaede called out just as they came up to the five groups of wounded people. Kaede stopped the horse, the others following, and then relaxed the reins, allowing Kagome to sit up straight to get a good look around.

The elder heard his name and looked up, smiling with relief in his eyes as he noticed Kaede. His welcoming smile was enough for Kaede to relax, just a bit. Yoshi was dressed in his black monk robes as he practiced his faith often. His white hair was cut short and his dark eyes were warm and welcoming, much like his personality. Yoshi had always told Kaede that should their village ever need help, he willingly to open his arms to them. Yoshi and Kaede had made a strong bond and therefore their villages were able to live peacefully with each other, many marriages and friendships tying the two together.

Yoshi made his way to the horses just as he noticed a young boy jumped down from his horse next to Kaede. "Hachiro," he recognized, nodding as the body acknowledged him with a bow and then went straight to Kaede's side. Yoshi walked up to Kaede's horse just as Hachiro offered his hand to the woman. "Kaede-sama," Yoshi greeted.

What Yoshi hadn't noticed was the young child that sat in front of Kaede, the child that Hachiro offered his hand to as he helped her off the horse. Yoshi knew the girl immediately and smiled. "Kagome…" he greeted, walking up to the child.

Kagome only hid behind Hachiro as she gazed up at Yoshi. She knew him, met him many times before when she visited this village with her parents. _'Okaa… Otou…'_ All she could think about was her parents and she didn't feel like smiling or being nice to anyone right now. Hachiro knew, Hachiro was her best and closest friend. He knew what she knew and how she felt. She could feel it in his aura.

Hachiro noticed the way Kagome hid behind him and he was immediately protective of her. Though he knew Yoshi didn't mean any harm, Yoshi didn't understand what was really happening to them right now. What they had to sacrifice and leave behind this night. He knew that Kagome was frightened and worried for her parents, as was he, so all he could do was protect her like he promised and offer her some sense of relief.

Yoshi stopped in his footsteps, not wanting to frighten the girl any more than she already seemed. By the way Hachiro was standing so still and straight in front of her, he knew that something bad had happened, though Kagome shed no tears. Yoshi turned his attention to Kaede as she slid down her horse and dusted herself off.

"Yoshi-sama," Kaede greeted as she came up to him and they bowed to each other in respect. "How many of my people have arrived?"

"We have tended to 26 people so far. I see more coming as well."

"Hai," she confirmed. "We passed by many people, most who were injured."

Yoshi nodded with a frown. "There have been grave injuries. Though most people only had cuts and bruises, there were a few that had serious injuries. I am not sure if we can heal them."

Kaede frowned, her eyes going to everyone in worry. People were splayed on the ground or just sitting in a daze. Kaede could tell that they were all going through shock but she could offer them no sense of comfort. They all felt the pain and hurt of this night. Not only were their husbands and sons gone, staying behind to fight the demons, but they had also lost their homes. Everything that they loved, built and made memories around was gone. The flames had eaten the entire village and Kaede was sure that there would be no saving their homes from the flames, no matter if the demon slayers killed off every last demon. Their homes were gone and they would have to restart their lives. Kaede just prayed that their people were safe and would be coming to this village soon.

"How many has stayed behind?" Yoshi asked, wondering when they should be expecting the others.

Kaede shrugged. "I am not sure. Our demon slayers have stayed behind. Last I knew... Hitomi and Masaru were with a group protecting the shrine."

Yoshi's expression suddenly turned grave and his eyes were hard on Kaede's. "Have you brought it?"

Kaede nodded, staring back at him with the same intense look. "Hai." She knew what he was talking about, and her eyes went to Kagome. Kagome stood behind Hachiro, though her head peaked around his body to listen to what they were talking about.

Kagome noticed she was the center of attention now as Kaede and Yoshi both looked at her. She frowned, remembering what her mother always told her. _'Never tell anyone who you are, Kagome…'_

Kaede sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "'Tis unfair for her."

Yoshi nodded his head, looking out towards the newcomers. He watched as some of his people began to offer their assistance to those that needed it. "Yes, it is. But it is the way of the world that things happen for a reason and it is senseless for us to spend our whole lives discovering that reason."

Kaede sighed again. She looked down at Kagome when suddenly her head whipped up at the feeling of demonic aura. "There is a demon approaching."

Yoshi turned to look at her with alertness and then called out to some of his men to prepare for battle. Kaede walked over to Hachiro and Kagome.

"Stay here."

Hachiro nodded his head and watched as Kaede and Yoshi walked off, trying to put distance between them and the village. Off in the distance, Hachiro could make out the small figures of demons appearing out of the tree line. They looked like small specks, but he knew that the village would have a fight on their hands.

"Hachiro."

He turned at the sound of his name, looking over his shoulder as Kagome stepped out on the side of him now that no one was around and it was just them. "Don't worry, Kagome." He looked at her, saw the fear and worry in her eyes, and tried his best to reassure her. "Kaede-sama will destroy the demons."

Kagome could only force a small smile as she nodded. She watched as Kaede grabbed her bow from around her back to prepare for the battle. Men were rushing past her towards the group that was forming behind Kaede and Yoshi. Kagome felt a sudden surge to help, to do something. She needed to help the others when she knew that it was her duty. "We need to help them, Hachiro."

Hachiro could only look at Kagome with shock. "Kagome…" He saw the look of fear in her eyes but he also saw determination. And he understood, he knew why Kagome wanted to go, why she needed to help out. It was always Kagome's intention to protect people, to keep them safe. She was a good person, a very kind girl, but she also had a lot of responsibilities as he knew who she was. And that's why he loved being her friend and why he vowed to his Sensei to protect her. Hachiro nodded.

Kaede and Yoshi waited with the group of men all crowded around them. All the men were equipped with katanas or gardening tools, anything they could get their hands on as quickly as possible. The hoard of demons was coming at a great pace and Kaede could sense there were about eight or nine demons heading this way.

"Prepare yourselves," she warned as the demons edged closer and their shrills could be heard. She knew what they were after, knew why they were coming here and why they had traveled the distance. They were hunting for something and she had what they wanted.

"Get ready men!" Yoshi exclaimed just as the demons rushed at them. The same human-like demons with purple eyes closed in, their battle cries only getting louder at their excitement for the kill.

Kaede notched her bow and readied as men rushed past her, heading towards the demons before they got closer into the village. She released her arrow, blue light engulfing the arrow as it whizzed past the villagers and into the hoard. Five demons jumped up, the arrow missing them, and landed their attacks on the men. Battle cries could be heard from both sides as the demons made their kill, their strength and speed outweighing the humans. Three men fell, their katanas thumping to the ground in defeat. Yoshi rushed forward, throwing out three ofudas while saying a prayer but only one ofuda landed on a demon's back, purifying it to ash.

Kaede notched another arrow just as she saw two demons leaping towards her, their claws extended and waiting for the kill. She released her arrow, but the demons split, going separate ways as the arrow whizzed between the areas they once were. Kaede gasped, moving back to get a hold on where they had gone to. She sensed them coming from both sides of her so she tried to quickly notch another arrow, turning to her right as she saw the demon materialize next to her. Releasing her arrow, Kaede watched as her miko aura wrapped around the arrow and it hit its target, her reward being the demon's scream. But Kaede wasn't able to get another arrow ready as she sensed the other demon behind her. She felt a surge of pain on her left arm and she screamed, the demon's claws raking against her shoulder.

Yoshi spun around at Kaede's scream and saw the woman fall to the ground, her hands landing in front of her for support. The two demons he and the men were fighting suddenly gained strength from Kaede's scream and they rushed towards her. Yoshi quickly reached into his robe and pulled out an ofuda, throwing it at the back of one of the demons. It reached its mark as the demon screamed, turning to ash, but the other demon was free to attack Kaede.

Kaede looked up, grasping her arm, just as the demon lunged at her with its claws extended. She braced herself, but then saw a small figure step in front of her. Hachiro held his katana in front of him, bracing himself for a fight. The demon saw him and opened his mouth, intending to eat the boy. But Hachiro rushed at it, trying to a keep distance between it and Kaede, and slashed at its head. His katana connected with the demon's arm as it protected itself last minute. Hachiro braced himself as he was pushed back, the snarling of the demon close to his face. The taught-like skin looked almost slick as Hachiro tried to find a weak spot.

Kagome rushed towards Kaede's side, dropping on her knees. "Kaede! Are you okay?" She saw the blood soaking through Kaede's kimono on her shoulder and down her arm. The wound looked deep as Kaede's free hand pressed against the wound but couldn't cover the four slashes from the demon's claws completely. Kagome frowned, wondering how to make the wound stop bleeding.

Kaede looked at Kagome and nodded, starting to breathe hard as she became light-headed from the amount of blood she was losing. She needed to get this bandaged so that the bleeding stopped. "Yes. I will be fine, child. I just need… to get this wound bandaged."

Kagome looked around, not seeing anything they could use.

"Here," Kaede said, pushing her injured arm to Kagome. "Take an arrow and use the tip to cut the sleeve," she instructed. Kagome did as told, standing up to grab an arrow from the quiver behind her back and then the child moved to cut the sleeve. Kaede helped to rip it, knowing the danger they were in, they needed to work fast. She heard Hachiro's katana making contact with the demon. Though the boy was trained by Masaru, he was still just a boy and his physical strength couldn't withstand the demon for long.

Just as Kagome cut off the sleeve, she heard Hachiro grunt and turned to look. Hachiro fell to the ground as he was pushed down, sliding back a few feet. The demon seemed satisfied with the win and his eyes trained on her. Kagome felt her blood run cold as she realized the demon was now coming towards them.

Kaede turned as she realized Kagome's attention was focus elsewhere. She noticed the demon heading towards her and her first instinct was to protect the child. "Kagome! Get down!" Kagome was stunned, her eyes trained on the demon's purple eyes. She couldn't move.

Kaede reached up to wrap her arms around the girl just as the demon's scream sounded in her ear. She ducked down with Kagome against her chest just as the demon whizzed by, its claws missing them jus several inches. She felt the wind in the demon's wake as it whizzed by, catching its footing and sliding against the ground, coming to a stop. The demon turned around and glared at Kaede as she released Kagome, remembering that her bow was on the ground behind her, and turned around to grab it.

Just as she turned, she saw the figure of the other demon coming up behind them. It threw something towards them and next thing she knew, a sharp pain stung her left eye and she screamed, grasping her face in pure agony.

Kagome gasped, looking at Kaede as the woman bent her head close to the ground, her hands covering her face. "Kaede…" Kagome reached out towards the woman, wanting to help her, but she couldn't figure out what was wrong. "Kaede…"

The woman cried out again, her body shaking at the excruciating pain. Yoshi ran as quick as he could before the two demons got to Kaede. He closed the distance and used an ofuda, throwing it against the demon's back while it was still trained on Kaede. Black smoke rose from where his ofuda landed and the demon screamed out in pain, his body convulsing as it turned to ash. Yoshi watched as the black smoke obscured his view of Kaede and he continued towards her, anxious to see if she was okay.

Kagome stood up to get a better look of Kaede's injury, placing her hands on the woman's back. She could feel Kaede shaking and heard her silent cries, but she couldn't see what happened. "Kaede…" The woman never turned to look at her, but Kagome suddenly heard the shrills of the demon. She quickly spun around, seeing the demon that had slashed Kaede's arm crying out as it pushed off and ran towards them. Its mouth hung agape, saliva dripping down its chin as she realized that it wanted to eat her. Kagome felt a sense of adrenaline kick in as she felt a sense of purpose. She had to protect Kaede.

Turning around, Kagome went for Kaede's bow, holding the huge weapon in her small left hand. She already made up her mind that she would protect the woman that protected her, and she bent down to grab the arrow that she had used to cut open Kaede's sleeve. Kaede noticed Kagome's movement and tried her best to open her good eye without moving her bad one. The pain shot through her whole body, straight down her spine making her jerk in response. But she was able to open her good eye, turning around to look up and see Kagome standing next to her. Her bow was in the child's hand, the weapon looking too big for her use, but somehow it seemed like she was able to get past the size difference. Kaede watched as Kagome notched the bow, slipping the arrow with ease against the smooth wood, pulling the string back smoothly and gently. She was fascinated with the child's use of the bow, how this seemed like the child has used a bow many times.

Kagome took a deep breath as she pulled back the string, releasing her breathe slowly and concentrating on her target. Her mother coached her many times, and she could hear her mother's voice clearly in her head as her will to protect Kaede erased everyone and everything around her. _'Focus, Kagome. Look at your target and allow everything to fall away…_' All that mattered was that she kills this demon.

Suddenly, pink flames started at the end of the arrow, the iron tip glowing with a light pink fire. Then, the entire arrow was suddenly engulfed in a light pink flame, but at the end where Kagome's fingers held onto the arrow, it was as if the flame wasn't harming her. Kagome aimed the tip at the demon and released the arrow, watching as the pink flame grew larger, a big glowing ball of light heading straight towards the demon. Yoshi and the others could only watch in amazement and shock at the extent of this little girl's miko powers. What was once a skinny, wooden arrow was now a huge purifying fireball, whizzing straight towards the demon. The demon seemed just as shocked as well as its eyes widened and at the last minute it crouched in its run to try and jump up. But Kagome's miko powers were too strong for it to avoid. The demon screamed in agony as it was purified in a second, its echoes resonating in the air until the entire area grew silent.

Kagome blinked, fascinated at what just happened. She had never killed a demon before and she took a few breaths, trying to understand what just happened. Her miko powers had killed the demon in an instant. That pink light was her miko aura. Kagome was shocked that she had that in her, just like Kaede, but only thing her light was bigger and brighter. She lowered the bow and turned around to check if Kaede was okay. When she turned around, she noticed Kaede staring up at her in awe, her left eye covered by her hand as blood dripped down to her chin, onto the ground.

"Kaede!" Kagome dropped the bow and went up to the woman, dropping to her knees as tears welled up in her eyes. "Are you okay? How can I help?"

Kaede was fascinated by this child. She knew Kagome, had helped bring this child into this world, and she knew of Kagome's heart and spirit. But what just happened here blew her mind.

Yoshi came up behind Kaede, watching the young girl who was so worried about Kaede's wounds that she just dismissed what she had just done. It was as if nothing had happened and what she just did was not significant. Kagome's eyes watered with tears that she wanted to shed for Kaede's pain. Yoshi was beyond shocked and didn't know what to do. He looked down at Kaede, remembering that she was wounded and decided to tend to her first before he asked anymore questions.

Yoshi placed his hand on Kaede's shoulder, going to one knee so that he could check on her wounds. Her left arm was still bleeding and her left eye was obviously damaged and probably irreparable from the amount of blood that he saw beneath her hand. Yoshi looked up and motioned for one of the men, instructing him to fetch a stretcher. He and several other men left while Yoshi tried to inspect the extent of her wounds.

"We need to get you to a healer." Yoshi noticed that Kaede must have lost a lot of blood and she was probably on the brink of passing out. If she stood, she would definitely collapse from blood loss. He was grateful when he looked up to see the men coming with the stretcher. The men placed the two pieces of wood on the ground and Yoshi helped to push Kaede onto the cotton stretcher. She settled back, her right hand still holding her eye as her face was scrunched in pain. Yoshi grasped her other hand and walked on the side of the stretcher while the two men carried her into the village.

Kagome watched quietly as Kaede was helped into the stretcher and then carried away. She thought twice about following, not knowing what to do now. She wanted to make sure that Kaede would be okay. Kagome looked down and noticed Kaede's bow on the ground. She frowned, replaying what had just happened again in her mind. _'Did I… do that?'_ She still couldn't believe that she had killed that demon. She also couldn't believe that the huge pink light came from her. She had never seen a miko power like that before, especially not Kaede's since she was the only priestess in their village.

As Kagome bent to pick up Kaede's bow, intending to return it to the woman, she turned around, feeling like she was being watched. When she looked behind her, the entire group of men was watching her with stunned faces. She heard whispers as they turned to gossip with each other, looking at her with accusing and frightened eyes. They just stood there, staring, making Kagome feel uncomfortable. She frowned, holding the bow tight, taking several steps back and then turned around, right into Hachiro.

"Hey," the boy said, planting his hands on Kagome's shoulders to steady her. "You alright?"

"Un." Kagome kept her head down, not wanting to look at him. She didn't want to see his accusing eye of what she had just done, not from Hachiro.

Hachiro nodded his head, not saying anything about what happened, and ushered Kagome with him. They made their way back into the village, passing by their wounded people still recovering in the open as they were being tended to. The people they passed, their own people and the people of this village, were all looking at Kagome the same way the men were. Their eyes were trained on her, shocked and stunned at what they had just witnessed. The two followed the backs of Yoshi and the men until they disappeared into a hut near a tall tree. Kagome stayed silent the whole time, clutching Kaede's bow with both hands close to her. She kept replaying what happened over and over in her head, trying to figure out how she did what she did.

Pushing back the entrance mat, Hachiro ushered Kagome in first and then entered himself. He looked around at the lighted interior. Candles were lit everywhere as it seemed like it was a medical hut. There were shelves lined along the walls with baskets filled with herbs and ceramic jars filled with mixtures of who knows what. Lying in the middle in front of them, Kaede laid on a futon that she was transferred to. Yoshi remained at her side as the woman with a blue kimono remained opposite of him, her eyes focused on Kaede as her hands investigated Kaede's body. Hachiro figured she was the healer and he turned to his side, noticing an empty area they could sit and wait. He pulled Kagome with him and sat down, watching as she did the same. She said nothing, not even a simple look at him. He was beginning to wonder what was wrong.

"Kaede… How is your eye?" Yoshi asked, looking up to glance at the healer. "Chiyo, can you save her eye?"

Kagome looked up, watching the adults in front of her with wonder. The woman Yoshi called Chiyo seemed around Kaede's age, a little older than her parents. Grey hairs were streaking in some areas of the woman's short hair but her eyes were soft, that Kagome could tell.

Chiyo shook her head slowly, softly urging Kaede's hand out of the way. "I don't believe so," she informed sadly. Now that she got a good look at the eye, Chiyo knew that there was no way she could save it. Plus the demon's claw was still embedded in the eye and it would take a miracle to get it out without damaging the eye even more. "I need to get the claw out and then see if there were any poisons. I will need to put you under, Kaede-sama."

Kaede gulped and nodded. "Let me look at your arm first," Chiyo informed as she moved to inspect the four gashes on her arm.

Yoshi watched quietly, his eyes hard on Kaede as he sighed. "You never told me she had miko abilities."

Kaede's good eye looked at Yoshi with wonder and understanding. Though she couldn't see Kagome, she knew that the child was close. She could feel Kagome's aura nearby. Yoshi stared at her intently, simply waiting for her to speak, to explain. But Kaede wasn't in the mood for a long story. She was too tired to explain anything. She just nodded and closed her good eye, squinting as Chiyo touched a few places on her arm. She heard the woman stand up to grab some things but Kaede still had her eye closed.

"Kagome is… not what you think, Yoshi-sama."

"Yes, I am aware of that. I remember the first day you came to my village with the girl and her parents. Hitomi and Masaru." He remembered the couple as they had helped his village many times in eradicating demons. They were great demon slayers and he prayed that they were safe and would arrive here by this night's end. "However, I do not remember any mention of her miko abilities."

Chiyo took her place back next to Kaede after gathering all the supplies she needed. "Yoshi-sama, I will have to put her to sleep now."

Yoshi looked up at Chiyo and nodded, knowing that Kaede's health was all that mattered right now. "Of course." He looked down at Kaede as she seemed like she was already sleeping. Chiyo mixed a few herbs together into a liquid base and made Kaede drink it. After a few minutes, the woman was out and Chiyo informed him that it would take a few hours for her to clean and stitch up Kaede's wounds. She had an apprentice sitting to the side behind her, knowing that her hands would be needed through this long process. Yoshi nodded and moved to stand, his clothes shuffling as he stood.

Yoshi turned around and looked at the two children sitting next to the door. Hachiro was sitting with his legs and arms crossed, his eyes set on Kaede. As he walked towards the two, Hachiro set his attention to him, watching him intently. Yoshi then looked down at Kagome though the child had her head down. Kaede's bow was set on the ground in front of her, bringing back memories of what just happened outside. He stared at the girl's head, wondering what else he didn't know about her. He looked up, seeing Hachiro glaring at him and then he just smiled, bowing and heading out through the door. He needed to think of what to do next. There were so many unanswered questions and the night was still young. He looked up at the starlit sky, wondering what was happening in Kaede's village and wondering what his people would have to deal with now that trouble was in their home.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-

"Push, Hitomi." Kaede urged the young woman to use all her strength to push one last time. The head of the child was already out and this one last push would urge the child out into this world. Kaede smiled, nodding her head encouragingly as she looked up. Hitomi's face was shrouded in pain, sweat beading her face. Her black hair stuck to her cheeks as Masaru brushed them behind her ear. She watched as Masaru bent to plant a kiss on her forehead, Hitomi turning her head towards him to find comfort in his love. "Push, child."

Hitomi gazed down at Kaede and saw her encouraging smile and nod. Hitomi steeled herself and took a deep breath, pushing down as hard as she could. She felt a pain hit her in her lower region and she moaned, crying out as there was this strong pressure and pain ripped through her.

Kaede caught the child as it slipped out, the blood and fluid soaking the blankets that were padded under Hitomi. Kaede smiled warmly at the child. A girl. She flipped the child over and gave it a few strong pats on the back. The loud cry that signaled its breath of life shortly came after, making Masaru and Hitomi both smile and laugh in happiness and love. Kaede grabbed a blanket off the ground to her side, wiping the girl as best she could, clearing the face of all blood and fluids. She then took another blanket and wrapped it around the child, making sure it would be kept warm.

"A beautiful baby girl." Kaede placed the baby into Hitomi's awaiting arms. Tears fell freely down the woman's face as she cradled the child against her breast, Masaru leaning down to get a better look. Pure joy and happiness painted across their faces as Kaede busied herself in cleaning up the mess.

Hitomi crooned to her baby, taking in all of her features. Her head was covered in black hair as her cheeks were pink with her crying fit. _'Such a small thing you are, sweetheart…'_ she thought as she took in her child's small face, small fingers, small arms. She opened the blanket to get a thorough look at her baby's body. Ten fingers and ten toes, a healthy baby girl. Hitomi wiped the tears off her face as she leaned her head back against the pillow in pure exhaustion.

"What shall we name her?" Masaru asked, seeing his wife's exhaustion. He was so proud of her, his love for her so strong that it overwhelmed him. Seeing his daughter in his wife's arms filled him with such joy and love that he never knew was possible. All he could do was stare down at the two most important people in his life.

Hitomi looked up at Masaru with a smile, her chest moving up and down as she tried to collect herself. "You decide," she said, knowing the tradition of men choosing their children's names. She lightly bounced her baby against her chest, trying to calm her down as her crying fits kept up.

Masaru looked at his daughter and thought for a second, taking in her fresh pink cheeks and black raven hair. Her fingers were grasping the air as her cries sounded throughout the hut. He reached down, placed his index finger against the palm of his daughter's and she immediately grasped it. He smiled. "Kagome…"

Hitomi looked up at Masaru, saw his attention on their daughter, and nodded her head. "Kagome…" she said, looking down at her daughter. "I love you, my Kagome." The baby began to wear herself out as her cries began to quiet and the small family was left in their own world as Kaede left them alone in their home.

As days went by, Hitomi and Masaru were the proud parents of a new baby girl. The village held a feast for them as they had earned the respect and love of the entire village since they were the protectors. The feast allowed for everyone to get a good look at the new addition to their group, a beautiful baby girl with eyes of the most fertile land, a rich brown that signaled the beginning of new life. Life remained as usual for Hitomi and Masaru except for a few changes. They were still the demon slayers of their village and therefore remained active in protecting their home. Every morning they would ride out with two other demon slayers, circling their village to find any demons nearby. Hitomi, however, found that she would have to remain indoors with Kagome for a good amount of the day to feed her child. This was her moment to bond with her baby girl. It was a beautiful thing, she realized, to nurse your child. It was one of the most intimate moments she ever had in her life. There was nothing like feeling her baby suckle at her breast as she relaxed, holding her daughter against her heart and thanking the Gods for this blessing. Though Hitomi missed the hunts and the training, she still was able to join a few, not without Masaru protesting against it.

When Hitomi and Masaru were training or out on hunts, Kaede was left in charge of caring for Kagome. Kaede gained a great fondness for the child. She watched as the child grew day by day, getting healthier and bigger. Hitomi and Masaru came to her for Kagome's first cold and they came to her when they thought that a little coughing fit was something more than it seemed. They were great parents, however, always worried about their daughter when they knew the dangers of life like no other.

One day, years gone by, Hitomi had visited Kaede with an urgent question. Kaede saw the fear and worry in Hitomi's eyes when she entered her hut, Masaru being called out on a demon hunt in a nearby village earlier that day. Hitomi had told her that Kagome hadn't been eating well lately. The child was only two, long off of breast milk and having most of her baby teeth already. Kagome was like any normal child at that age, walking and running and being able to speak in child's jargon. But Hitomi told Kaede that for the past several days Kagome hasn't been eating well. She just wasn't hungry anymore and was refusing to eat her meals. Hitomi and Masaru would have to force Kagome to eat at times. And even then, they noticed that it was still a small amount that she would eat. Hitomi said that she noticed a difference in Kagome's moods as well. Kagome would sometimes get so tired and groggy that she would be playing one minute and then Hitomi would find her completely sound asleep the next. Even her naps were longer, sometimes making Hitomi worry that she was getting sick. But then Kagome would wake up perfectly fine and then want to play, still having a hard time to eat meals or snacks.

Kaede listened to Hitomi and took in everything she said, wondering what kind of ailment this could be. She took a look at Kagome, trying to make the inspection a fun process as she kept Kagome occupied with a few wooden blocks Hitomi had brought along. Kaede checked the child's motor functions and noticed everything seemed okay. She told Hitomi that over the next few days she would observe Kagome during her daily activities to get a feel of this moodiness Kagome was displaying. Kaede also instructed Hitomi to note what types of food she would feed Kagome for breakfast, lunch and dinner and how many spoonfuls of each Kagome would consume. Then, Kaede wanted Hitomi to bring Kagome in at sunset everyday so that Kaede could check the girl over to see if any changes were made.

So for a week, Hitomi did as she was instructed. She and Masaru kept a journal of what they fed Kagome and how much she ate. They noted her daily activities as she played with some of the other children. They noticed how she never seemed as active and energetic as the children around her, but she did seem like she was trying to have fun with them. Kaede also was around, watching Kagome when Hitomi and Masaru brought her out around the village. She also noticed Kagome's grogginess and lack of energy compared to the other children around her age. Most of the times, Masaru was holding Kagome in his arms while they walked around. Then, at sunset, Kaede did her diagnostics of the child when Hitomi and Masaru brought her to her home. Kaede had noticed some physical changes in the girl throughout the week. She noticed that Kagome was getting skinnier, her ribs and pelvic bones showing. Hitomi and Masaru also informed her of this, how Kagome's skin was getting drier and her weight was shedding quickly. This made Kaede worried since the girl wasn't eating right and now she was on the brink of malnutrition.

Then, one day Hitomi brought Kagome in with an alarming find. Hitomi pointed out a small lump on the left side of Kagome's chest, right under her rib cage. Hitomi said she had been dressing Kagome when she noticed it, she could see the lump as Kagome's frail figure was getting worse. Kaede instructed the child to lie down, watching without any complaint as Kagome slumped to the ground in front of Kaede on the futon. Hitomi kneeled down, cooing to Kagome as Kaede did her inspection. She noticed dark circles beneath Kagome's eyes and her face seemed more sunken in. Kagome's skin was clammy now and when Kaede lifted up Kagome's arm, it felt as light as a feather. Something was indeed wrong. So she quickly turned her attention to the lump Hitomi informed her about.

As Kaede opened Kagome's kimono, she noticed the lump under Kagome's skin. It was quite obvious in Kagome's sunken abdomen. Kaede ran her hand over the lump, getting a feel for what it could be, asking Kagome if it hurt. Kaede just couldn't figure out what it was, but she knew it must be the cause for Kagome's strange behavior and her eating habits. Kaede told Hitomi that whatever it was, it needed to come out so that Kagome could get better or her health would continue to go downhill. Hitomi agreed, giving her consent for Kaede to get this obstruction out of her daughter. Kaede would do it right then and there, fearing what would happen if they waited any longer, so Hitomi went to get Masaru as Kaede tried to calm Kagome's fears, hurrying around her home to find the necessary ingredients. When Hitomi came back with Masaru, who had been filled in with all the information, Kaede excused herself to get a helper and a few more ingredients before they began.

It was a long process. Hitomi and Masaru remained by their daughter's side through the whole thing. Kaede had knocked Kagome out and was operating on her, cutting their baby open to retrieve whatever it was within her. Hitomi and Masaru were not new to the whole operating process as they had seen many terrible wounds on the battlefield firsthand. But somehow, when it came to their own baby girl, this was different. Hitomi and Masaru held hands the whole time for reassurance. But they waited patiently for Kaede to inform them of what she found. Her helper was next to her the whole time, making sure that whatever Kaede needed, she would provide.

And then, Kaede reached in and pulled out what they were waiting for. But what they saw was not what they were expecting, not in the least. Kaede held up her hand, covered with Kagome's blood, and marveled at what was within Kagome. A small jewel of sorts, some small, round orb. It was about the size of a sudachi, small in her palm as she held it out for everyone to see. Kaede was amazed and dumbstruck, not knowing what to make of this jewel being in a human body. It was obviously a jewel as it remained light pink, almost blue in the center of the orb. It glowed brightly, shinning with a light she had never seen before. And the warmth that radiated off the jewel, probably from being within a human body, was surreal. However, what Kaede noticed was the strong power that radiated from the jewel. There was something wrong, something that called her attention to this strange object being in such a strange place.

Then, there was a pulse. Kaede gasped, making Hitomi and Masaru look at her in wonder at her sudden reaction. They felt it too, the strange pulse, the pull and the energy that radiated from the jewel. It felt like there was an evil about this jewel. Something definitely was not right. Kaede's eyes widened as she realized what this was. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, but it was there in front of her, laying her palm, something she had pulled out of Kagome's body.

The Shikon no Tama.

After Kaede had closed Kagome, she put an ointment on the wound and then closed the girl's kimono. Kaede then turned her attention to the parents whom, of course, had many questions. The Shikon no Tama laid on a small piece of cloth, its brilliant glow calling the attention of everyone in the room. Kaede dismissed her helper so that she could talk to Hitomi and Masaru alone, informing them of the apparent danger that they were all in now.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-

Kaede opened her eye, seeing darkness and a strange dizziness at her awkward sight. She felt something tight around her head and remembered all that had happened. The hut was lit with the sunlight that streamed through the doorway. _'Sunlight? Oh no!'_ Kaede shot up and immediately regretted it. She groaned in pain, grasping her left arm in a slouch.

"Kaede-sama!" Yoshi was at her side, placing his hand on her good shoulder so that he could try to calm her down. "Are you okay? Don't move too fast. You might open your wounds."

Kaede winced and turned to look at him as best she could. "Yoshi-sama… What time is it?"

Yoshi showed no emotion though he knew what this question lead to. "It's morning. The sun rose about two hours ago."

Kaede's eye widened and she moved to stand. "Don't Kaede-sama." She stopped when Yoshi tried to keep her from moving and she looked at him with curiosity.

"Have they returned?" Kaede watched his expression, noted the way he never showed her any emotion but she did see one. He allowed it to slip for a second before he answered her.

"No." Yoshi turned around, looking at the two kids that were still sitting in the same spot since they came in last night. Hachiro had his arms crossed against his chest, his face tired but alert as he watched them, interested obviously now that Kaede had woken. Even Kagome, after the whole night of trying to get them to get some sleep or to eat, none of them had said a word to him or even moved. But now that Kaede had woken up, Kagome and Hachiro both looked towards them with interest and worry.

"I sent some of my people to your village in case they needed assistance…" Yoshi said as he turned to face Kaede again. His voice grew softer, not wanting the two children to hear. "They came back an hour later or so. Kaede-sama…," Yoshi shook his head, sadness in his eyes. "There were no survivors."

Kaede took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. "My men went through the whole village. They said most of the huts burned down while the rest were still burning. They went through some of the debris to find any bodies, searching for any survivors. They found bodies… but most were burnt an unrecognizable," Kaede closed her eye, "while some were simply mauled alive. They said no one was alive. They checked everywhere."

Yoshi squeezed Kaede's shoulder, sending her his warmth through his aura, trying to calm her nerves. He could sense her sadness and he felt sympathy for her. Kaede put her head down and they kept quiet for a while as he allowed her to just soak everything in. It was a lot to process, Kaede had just lost her whole village and most of her people.

After a few minutes, Kaede opened her eye and he saw the determination. "Was there any sign of the demon slayers?"

Yoshi shook his head. "No one noticed anyone with demon armor or demon slayer attire even though most of the bodies were so charred."

Kaede nodded her head. "I need to go back and see for myself."

Yoshi nodded his head in understanding. "Of course. My men said all the demons were gone when they arrived. The battle was over. It should be safe now. But I wish you would stay and rest at least for another day"

Kaede shook her head, dismissing the suggestion, and turned her attention to the two children by the doorway. Kagome and Hachiro both looked at her with worry. She could only give them a small smile in reassurance, though she knew she probably looked terrible.

"You never told me that the child has miko powers."

Kaede looked at Yoshi and nodded her head. "Hai. I haven't told you much considering it wasn't necessary for me to do so." Yoshi considered her serious tone and didn't take offense to any of it. He simply nodded his understanding. "But now that you have kindly taken us in for the night and protected us, it is only fair for me to tell you."

Kaede sat comfortably, cradling her injured arm in front of her, and explained to Yoshi. "When Kagome was two years old, Hitomi and Masaru had found a strange lump in the child's abdomen. It was causing her to refuse food and soon her health deteriorated. Therefore, we decided to remove the strange lump." Kaede replayed that night's events in her mind. "What I removed from Kagome was the Shikon no Tama."

Yoshi was shocked and he sat back, taking in all the information as questions swirled in his mind. Who was this child? How was she born with the Shikon no Tama? He knew that Kaede possessed the jewel. Though not much people in far distances knew of the Shikon no Tama's existence, those close to the village knew of it. Kaede had told him one time she visited the village in an unfortunate circumstance about her possession of the jewel. She said she had found the jewel one day in a cave she had exploring for herbs. The jewel was just lying there, wedged between some rocks, and she brought it back to the village, fearing that if she had left it there then a demon would eventually find it and gain its power. Kaede had been purifying and protecting it as best she could but she had told him of her inability to completely purify the jewel.

"Legend has it that the Shikon no Tama was made by the legendary priestess Midoriko. In her final battle against a powerful demon, she was unable to defeat it and therefore, thinking to rid the world of her powerful enemy, Priestess Midoriko bound her soul to the demon's and its minions. In the end, the battle was done and out of Midoriko's chest the Shikon no Tama was made." Kaede looked down at the ground, recalling all the stories and legends that she was taught since she was a child. "The Shikon no Tama means the Jewel of Four Souls. The four souls are Aramitama, Nigimitama, Kushimitama and Sakimitama: courage, friendship, wisdom and love. Priestess Midoriko was the only human ever known to possess these four souls and therefore she created a balance of good and evil within herself. This allowed her such power that surpassed any demon slayer and any demon. However, that last demon she fought proved too much and she continues, to this day, to battle the demon within the Shikon no Tama. Depending on who is in possession of the jewel, the Shikon no Tama can be easily tainted by a faint heart. Someone with a little bit of darkness in them could easily turn the jewel evil and use its power to do many awful things, anything the possessor desires."

Kaede looked to the door at Kagome. The girl had her chin resting on her knees that were pulled up against her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and Kaede could tell that the girl hadn't gotten any sleep from last night. She knew that the children could hear them but they already knew this. "I believe that Kagome is Priestess Midoriko's reincarnation." She said, looking back to Yoshi as she remembered the time she had informed Hitomi and Masaru. That night, everything changed for this small family. "After that legendary battle, the Shikon no Tama was never seen again. Many demons and humans seeking power searched the land and sea for this jewel. After time, the story of this battle and the Shikon no Tama was lost, fading away with each generation until people began to believe that it was simply a fairytale, a myth. Until that fateful night when I pulled the jewel out of that child." Kaede sighed, looking back down as she shrugged her injured arm, trying to move it around as it was uncomfortable in its sling.

"Hitomi and Masaru told Kagome about her fate when they believed she was old enough to understand it. I believe it was only about a year ago, maybe less, when they told her. Although Kagome is still just a child, she is very wise. It seemed like she was able to absorb everything that her parents told her although I'm quite sure that she never fully understood the seriousness of it all. Hitomi and Masaru felt that it was time for her to start training to become a priestess. Since Kagome is Priestess Midoriko's reincarnation, she a priestess in right. It is her duty and her right to protect the jewel that came from her body." Kaede looked down at her hands, splaying them wide open. "One day… I was purifying the jewel in the shrine house. Kagome was with me as Hitomi and Masaru trusted her to me with her spiritual training. After praying to the jewel for about an hour, I did the best I could to purify it. However, the jewel was still the same. It was a deep pink, almost purple in color. It was as if it was mocking me in my attempts to purify it. I could never get it back to its purified form that day I pulled it out of Kagome."

Kaede looked back at Kagome, only able to see the top of the child's head, her forehead resting on her knees. "Then, Kagome had walked up next to me and she asked if she could see the jewel. Once she was near the Shikon no Tama, I felt a pulse radiate off the jewel. Confused as to what was happening, I allowed her to look at it. I knew she was just a child and so she was curious. Kagome reached out to touch the jewel and just as her fingers touched it, the jewel pulsed and turned a bright pink. Pink and blue swirled within the jewel as the purple washed away. I had never seen the jewel react like that before, Kagome had purified it. I was shocked that this child had such power."

Kaede turned to look at Yoshi who was listening intently and with wonder. "That was when I realized that Kagome had miko abilities that I could not even imagine. Kagome was indeed Priestess Midoriko's reincarnation. And it's Kagome's duty to protect the jewel as she is the only one who can purify it."

Yoshi shook his head slowly, trying to allow the information to sink in. In all his years of living, all the things that he's witnessed in his life, he had never seen such a wonder like this. It all seemed so surreal, that this little girl was the reincarnation of a powerful priestess who created the most dangerous weapon in this world. It was too much to take in and definitely too much to believe right now. But it was all here, all in front of his eyes to witness and right now he had witnessed nothing short of unbelievable.

"So you've hidden the jewel this past three years?"

Kaede shrugged her good arm. "We've had many demon attacks, as you well know. My village knows about Kagome and the presence of the jewel. I offered the villagers a choice. They could either stay in the village, knowing the threat to their lives every day, or they could leave to protect themselves and their family. Most of the villagers stayed as we have all become like a family." Kaede looked towards Hachiro, the boy looking down at Kagome in concern. "Hachiro's parents were one of the people who wanted to leave. But Hachiro had become friends with Kagome and he adored her. Hachiro begged his father to stay but his father never gave in, afraid for his family's safety. Therefore, the next day his parents left and Hachiro stayed behind."

Yoshi had a questioned look in his eyes as the realization of this boy's loyalty and trust was astounding. Kaede nodded at him. "Hachiro fought with his father the whole way. He told his father he would never leave Kagome, that she was his best friend. He told his father he hated him and that he never wanted to live with him or his mother. His father was enraged, slapped the boy across the face and disowned him. He did this in front of the entire village before he and his wife left Hachiro behind." Kaede sighed, remembering that day. "Hachiro never regretted his decision, though. Masaru took him in as his adopted son. He was a great sensei to Hachiro and taught Hachiro how to fight to become a demon slayer."

Yoshi nodded his head as Kaede quieted and the hut was left to silence again. He was sure that the two children could hear every word but they made no sound, just listened to their past. Yoshi took note of the way Kaede held her injured arm. "So Kagome has been training with weapons?"

"Yes." Kaede nodded as she looked at Yoshi. "Hitomi felt it best that Kagome be familiar with weapons to prepare her should there be a demonic attack on the village and she was alone to protect herself. I agreed with Hitomi and therefore they trained her with all sorts of weapons. Kagome's favorite weapon Hitomi found was the bow and arrow. She is, however, very fond of the katana as well."

Yoshi was amazed that this five year old girl was already training to fight demons. He turned around to look at her, but her head was still on her knees, her eyes hidden from them. He took in her small, fragile frame and remembered what she had done just hours ago. It amazed him to no end, making him think that this was not a small child at all. "I will have to tell the villagers about this."

Kaede's hard stare was on him, though he never turned around to look at her. Now that Hitomi and Masaru were gone, Kaede felt like it was her responsibility to be the parent for Kagome. Since she was there for Kagome from the time of her birth, she already felt like she knew Kagome on an intimate level. She was Kagome's mentor and she shared a bond with the child. Kagome is her responsibility and she would care for her like her own.

"We will leave."

Hachiro and Kagome both looked up in shock as they heard Kaede's harsh words. Even Yoshi turned to look at her with shock. Kaede nodded and moved to get up. Yoshi was there, helping her while still urging her to relax and rest.

"We must leave. I am sorry that we have burdened you with this, Yoshi-sama. But you know of my respect for you," Kaede said once she stood. Yoshi held her good arm, his eyes looking at her, wondering about her decision. "Thank you for your hospitality, Yoshi-sama. I will always be grateful to you for this night, and for all the times that you have opened your village to us. But we must get back to our village and search for any survivors. We need to rebuild and to restart our lives."

"But Kaede… there is nothing back there for you."

Kaede smiled. "I have seen it in Kagome's eyes…" Kaede placed her good hand on Yoshi's shoulder. "I won't tell you to not say anything to the villagers as it is your decision and they have a right to know why their village was attacked. But I will tell you that now many demons know of our secret that the Shikon no Tama is in our possession, that it exists. That was no ordinary attack last night. It was planned, many demons banded together to retrieve the jewel. I believe that word is getting around about the jewel's existence and now we will be heavily threatened." Kaede looked at Kagome as she saw the two children stand up slowly, wondering what was going on now that she was on her feet. "Now I know that your villagers will know the truth and soon demons and humans will come to steal the jewel and use it for personal gain. I trust you, Yoshi-sama, but with such a powerful weapon in our hands, I cannot trust everyone. I need to go back to the village and rebuild what we lost and to start where we ended. Kagome needs to get stronger so that she can protect the jewel from demons and humans alike."

Yoshi sighed, understanding what Kaede was saying but all of this was playing with fire. He heard Kaede's tone and knew that there was no way to change her mind. He saw the determination in her eye and he understood her need to go back to find any missing people that may have escaped or that were injured. Yoshi nodded his head sadly and turned towards the door, helping Kaede out. "Then allow me to get some provisions for you before you leave. You will need some food and clothes, possibly blankets."

Kaede smiled as she stepped out into the sunlight. "Hai… thank you, Yoshi-sama. You are a great friend."

Yoshi smiled. "And so are you, Kaede-sama. My village is always opened to you and your people." He motioned for a few men to go and pack up some supplies for them. Yoshi left Kaede to go fetch their horses.

Kaede winced, her eye squinting at the sun's rays that hurt her injured eye. She looked around, noticing the villagers walking around, going about their daily routines. Kaede then spotted a few of her people sitting near a tree next to the hut she came out of.

"Kaede-sama!," an old man called out as he got to his feet, the other six people following suit, and they made their way over to her. "How are your injuries?"

Kaede smiled, grateful for the concern. "Fine. They will heal."

He frowned, noticing the bandage around the woman's eye. "Your eye…"

Kaede smiled sadly. "I may never have use of again." Kaede sighed, her injured arm in a sling. "However, my arm will heal in time." Kaede looked up at her people. "Where are the others? How is everyone?"

"Everyone is fine. A handful of people are still being treated, their wounds were life-threatening. Others are recovering near the entrance of the village. But some people… we've had about eleven deaths so far," he said sadly.

Kaede nodded her head, saddened by the loss but grateful for the amount of people that survived. She then turned around to face the two children standing behind her. Hachiro stood in front of Kagome, waiting for her to tell them something. Kagome stood behind him, holding her bow that she remembered she had dropped last night when the demon slashed her shoulder. "Kagome…" she called, snapping the girl out of her thoughts as the child looked up at her. "Thank you for taking care of my bow." Kagome nodded her head, slowly offering Kaede her bow back. Kaede smiled and took it, maneuvering the bow onto her back.

Yoshi returned just as she was able to settle the bow against her back. Kaede looked at Hachiro. "We're going back to the village." The boy said nothing as he listened to Kaede and nodded. She turned to look at her people. "We're going back to check for any survivors and any lingering demons"

The others nodded their heads in agreement. They would head back to check if their family members and friends had made it. Though they spent the whole night and into the day waiting, no one had arrived after the night came to a close. No one came. It only worried them about the fate of their family and friends.

"We're going with you," the old man said as the women nodded their heads. "We will round up everyone and then we will follow you back."

Kaede nodded as she met Yoshi halfway, grabbing onto the reins of her horse. "Hachiro and I will ride back first to make sure that no more demons are around. It should buy you enough time to prepare everyone for the journey back. I want you to use this horse," she nudged at the third horse, "to help bring back the provisions that Yoshi-sama is kindly offering us. If we ride back towards you while you are heading back to the village then it is not safe. However, after what Yoshi-sama's men had witnessed this morning, we believe that the demons have long left."

The others nodded their heads in understanding and questions began to fly her way. Were there any survivors? Did the men discover anyone alive? Are any of their homes still standing? Of course, Kaede wasn't going to answer any of these as it would only frighten them more. She needed to see for herself before she could accept it. Kaede got onto her horse with Yoshi's help, reassuring the people that everything would be okay. She settled into the saddle and motioned for Kagome, Hachiro helping her up onto the horse. Kagome settled into the saddle and grabbed the reins from Kaede's offering hands timidly. Kaede told her that her arm was too painful to control the horse so Kagome would have to do so. She's ridden a horse before as they were her favorite animal, but Kaede could still feel Kagome's nervousness. She figured it was due to the fact that they were headed back and they were about to discover whether or not Hitomi and Masaru were alive.

"Child… are you okay?"

Kagome nodded, grasping the reins with both hands as the horse moved around, anxious to leave. "Hai, Kaede." Kaede simply looked at the top of the girl's head and decided to dismiss it for now. Now, she had to worry about what she was about to discover back at the village. She couldn't imagine what she was about to see, or not see, but she could only hope that the children wouldn't be traumatized by it. She knew she had to take Kagome with her, even though she was too young to witness so much death and destruction. Kagome was an exception, though. She did many things that children her age would never do, and she's seen many things that children her age would never see. Though Kaede felt a pang in her heart for the child, she knew Kagome would have to mature much faster than other children. It was just the way of it.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-

There was nothing left here. Everything was gone, destroyed, long forgotten by the demons that tore through. Some houses were still burning, small fires swallowing up the last bit of what was once someone's home, where someone kept their family safe and made memories to last a lifetime. Kagome looked around, her wide eyes taking in everything. There was so much destruction, so much sadness. There was burnt black wood that was once a house, charred and still smoking from its flaming enemy that brought it down. Everywhere there was charred wood, black and devastating to look at when Kagome had remembered all the houses that had once stood here and the beautiful gardens that decorated their homes.

The horses trotted slowly through the village as the riders looked around at the sight before them. Kagome lead the horse forward as Hachiro remained next to her, his eyes scanning the area for any demons. Kaede had already flared out her miko aura to check for demons and she found none nearby. So the demons had definitely come and gone, swept through like a plague. But Kaede also didn't see anyone, nor did she believe she would find anyone alive, not in this destruction. On their way here, they hadn't even passed anyone who may have gotten tired on the journey to the next village. Kaede already knew the inevitable and she steeled herself for what she would have to tell the children. There were bodies after bodies that they passed, some still recognizable while others were eaten alive or burnt. Kaede tried her best to shield the children from it, informing them not to look at the bodies that were too gruesome.

"Let's go to the shrine house," Kaede informed the children.

"Un," Kagome said, turning the horse in another direction. The horse had to walk through burnt wood and rubble scattered all over the road along with the bodies. Kagome couldn't believe the damage around her. Stone walls were broken down, rocks spewed all over the road and onto burnt wood. Some trees had fallen down onto the road as well, so the horses had to walk around. There was a set of stairs that they had to climb and the horses' hooves hitting stone was all they could hear. Finally, the shrine house was in view.

Kaede gasped at the scene. Here many bodies, both human and demon alike, littered the ground towards the shrine house. The shrine grounds remained on a small hill overlooking the village. They stayed at the top of the stairs, shocked at the scene before them. Piles of bodies littered the ground and there was nowhere to walk through, no solid ground they could see.

Kagome felt like the wind was knocked out of her. She had seen demon bodies before after the many attacks they had on their village. Her parents were always called out to kill the demons and she always found a way to leave her caregiver's watch to see if her parents were okay. Every time a battle ended, the bodies of the demons lay scattered in the wake of the battle and Kagome witnessed the bloody mess many times. But this was different. This was a massacre, too many bodies for her to count and some she recognized were the parents of some of the children she knew. _'Okaa… Otou…'_

Last Kagome remembered were her parents being here, her mother's tear-stricken face with her hand over her heart and her father's sad smile. She could see their faces clearly, remembering what it felt like when she was placed on top of the horse and left them behind. _'Okaa… Otou…'_ Kagome yanked the reins lightly and the horse was off, walking through the bodies.

Kaede looked down at the top of Kagome's head, shocked at the child's intention to go forward. She felt proud of her, though. Proud that Kagome was actually moving forward, embracing this scene and not breaking down and crying or scurrying away at the gruesome sight. Hachiro followed close, obviously not taken aback at the scene as well though his eyes scanned through the mess with disgust and intention. The two horses tried their best to remain on solid ground but at times they had to walk on the dead bodies. Trying to keep their balance, the riders steadied themselves as the horses wobbled their way over the bodies. Kagome looked down at all the demons and humans, slaughtered and bloodied, staining the ground to forever remember the night that had taken away their home.

When the shrine came up, or what was once the shrine, Kagome stopped the horse and gazed at the burnt ruins. There was nothing left of it, burning down to a crisp, and the trees that surrounded the shrine had burnt leaves and branches that had hung close to the shrine house. Kagome stared in shock and awe at the ruins with dead bodies lying all over the place. She felt Kaede move then and she turned to see that the woman was trying to get off the horse.

"Kagome…" Kaede said. "You hop down first."

Kagome nodded and placed the reins on the horn of the saddle. Hachiro got off his horse and moved to the side of theirs, reaching up to help her down. He placed her on the ground and then reached up to help Kaede off. Kagome turned around, looking at the dead demon body lying at her foot. Its purple eyes gazed up at her, dark and lifeless. Its mouth hung open, sharp teeth lined in a row on the top and bottom. Its skin was a whitish silver, cut open in several places by a katana. Kagome looked up, searching over the carnage for any movements of life. _'Otou…'_

Kaede groaned as her feet touched the ground with Hachiro's help and immediately the jewel began to pulse. Once. Twice. A third time. Kaede gasped, the jewel pulsed as if it was reacting to something. She reached into her kimono, where she kept the jewel this whole time, pulling out a small piece of cloth that had both its ends tied tight with a string. Kaede asked Hachiro to untie the string and the cloth fell open, revealing the small round orb. Kaede gasped. _'The jewel…'_ The Shikon no Tama was a dark purple, drawing on the demonic energy that surrounded them. With all the demonic aura surrounding them, the jewel fed on the evil and therefore became tainted by it, now calling out for more demons to feed it this evil power.

The jewel pulsed again. Kagome turned to look up at Kaede and saw the Shikon no Tama there in her hands. The jewel pulsed again and Kagome could have sworn that it was calling to her, reaching out for her, pulsing like a beacon urging her forward. She stared at the jewel, wondering what it was trying to tell her, feeling like each of its pulse would coincide with the beat of her heart. It was warning her, and Kagome had a need to touch it, like the last time she had touched the jewel when Kaede was praying. She had asked to see the jewel because she felt like it was pulling her to it, calling for her. And it was the same now, it was calling to her and Kagome felt the need to hold it.

Kaede looked at Kagome and saw the child staring at the jewel. The jewel pulsed again and she suddenly realized that it was calling to Kagome, and the child definitely felt the call. Kaede moved to the girl and thrust the jewel at her.

"Here, child." The jewel sat in the palm of her hand on the cloth as Kagome simply stared at it. "Take it, Kagome," she urged with a little more force than she intended.

Kagome blinked and reached for the jewel. Once her fingers touched it, the jewel pulsed one last time and glowed bright before it turned to a bright pink with a little blue in the center. Kagome wrapped her hand around it and brought it towards her, her eyes enthralled in the pretty colors of the jewel as it lay in her cupped palm.

"Kaede… What was that?" she asked, wondering what she had done. Even back then, the first time she touched the jewel, she didn't know what she had done. Now, it changed color again when she touched it and she didn't know what she did to change it.

Kaede sighed, shocked at how Kagome and the jewel were so connected. "Kagome… what your mother told you is true." Kagome looked up at Kaede with wonder. "You are the Priestess Midoriko's reincarnation and the Shikon no Tama is yours to protect. You are the guardian of it… and only you can keep the jewel from turning evil."

Kagome was confused as she looked back down at the jewel, her expression showing her confusion. "Evil? The jewel is evil?" She remembered the story of the Priestess Midoriko and the demon that Kaede had had told Yoshi, though her mother told her that story a long time ago.

Kaede nodded. "It is good and evil. The Priestess Midoriko resides in the jewel with the demon and so there is good and evil, always fighting for supremacy. You, Kagome, have to keep the jewel pure. The jewel must always be in your care." Kaede knew now that Kagome would have to be the keeper of the jewel, its guardian. She is the only one who can purify the jewel and she is the only one who can protect it, once she obtains her potential. And Kaede would train her to get there.

Kagome simply stared at the jewel, wishing her mother and father were here. They had explained to her several months ago about her fate as the protector of the Shikon no Tama. They had told her everything, from the jewel coming out of her stomach to the fact that she would have to be trained to fight in order to protect the jewel. They told her of her fate, the Shikon no Miko, and how her life would be dedicated to the jewel. But she wished that they were here now. She needed them, needed to be held in her mother's arms, to smell her mother's sweet flowery scent to comfort her when none of this made sense right now. Kagome closed her hand around the jewel and looked up at Hachiro next to Kaede. She then turned away and looked out at the dead bodies.

"Kaede… is Okaa and Otou in here?"

Kaede blinked. Kagome's blunt question seemed like reality was hitting hard for the girl. Poor girl, Kaede knew that Kagome was trying to take it all in. And there was a lot to take in for such a young child. "Yes, Kagome. I do believe that your parents are here."

Hachiro shook his head, looking at Kaede with disbelief. "It can't be. They have to be alive." He refused to believe that they were dead, buried underneath this stench of demons.

Kaede touched the boy's arm, offering him her comfort. "Child… if Masaru and Hitomi were alive, they would've returned to the village like they always did when we were under attack. They would've come back… for Kagome." She looked to the girl. Kagome turned towards them slowly and Kaede felt a pang in her heart. Tears were streaming down the girl's face as she cried, her body shaking in pain. Hachiro went to her side immediately and wrapped his arms around her as Kaede watched them as they cried together. Kaede expected this and so she let them find comfort in each other. It was what they needed. They needed to cry, they needed to mourn since last night they got no sleep as they had probably waited for Masaru and Hitomi to return. They needed to find comfort in each other in order to get through this.

Kaede turned to look at the burnt ruins of the shrine house. They would have to rebuild this place. All of this. They will rebuild the village and start a new life. Kaede walked around, looking among the ruins and the bodies to find anything of worth, surveying everything. Then, she found something glint beneath the body of a demon. Kaede bent down, pushing a demon to the side to grab the blade. She quickly recognized what it was when she pulled it out from under the demon.

'_Masaru…'_ It was one of his tantō blades, displaying the same symbols on the blade that she knew was unique to Masaru's weapon. Kaede frowned, her eyes burning with tears as sadness welled up in her at the loss of a good friend. _'Hitomi…'_ She could only imagine that they were here, buried under these disgusting demons, sacrificing their lives so that the people could escape with theirs. Such destruction. Such sadness all in one night. Kaede stood up and turned around, seeing that the children were now looking at her, both with tears staining their faces. Their eyes went to the blade in her hand as she saw another round of tears stream down their faces, emotions running wild. These two children would have to take comfort in each other and slowly but surely Kaede was sure that they would heal their wounds. For now, she would allow them this sense of release. Kagome and Hachiro just needed some time to soak this all in, to cry to the Gods and damn whoever it was that is responsible for this. Then, when the villagers returned, Kaede wanted to start clearing out the village. They would bury their dead, giving them proper burials, and closing their wounds. Then, they would rebuild their homes and start anew. Kaede was sure of it.

* * *

Alright... So how was that one? I hope I didn't scare any of you away, but these characters really have been talking to me for a while and I can't wait to introduce the others, like Inuyasha. He's been wanting to get into this story so I'm trying to get into the writing groove and trying to type faster to get him in the storyline already. I know it seems sad for a first chapter but I really wanted to draw you in as to what is going on and throwing all this drama and information at you on the first hit. Oh, and BTW, I think this might turn out to be a long one. So if you're in for the long haul then yay! If I scared any of you away, I'm sorry. If not, please let me know what you thought about this chapter and maybe you can read my next one ;)

**-Kaleialohalani**


End file.
